Almost every seaside town that boasts a marina offers a lighted boat parade. In California these floating parades take place during the winter holiday season. In areas such as New York and/or Baltimore, a lighted boat parade is part of a summer series of events. Boats of all sizes are festively and some elaborately decorated by their owners to include lights, and sometimes moving parts. Judges view the entries, give scores in various categories, and awards are given ceremoniously at the end of the event. The boat owners celebrate at the local yacht club or watering hole.

The Christmas Lights Parade (the Tournament of Lights) tradition is reported by California’s Newport Beach yacht club to have been begun almost 100 years ago in southern California, by John Scarpa. He, an Italian gondolier, with Joseph Beek, developer of Beacon Bay, the Balboa Ferry Line and the principal force in the early development of Balboa Island, are heralded as this events founders.

“The idea for a lighted boat parade was born after Scarpa took visitors across Balboa Bay in a gondola decorated with lighted Japanese lanterns. Scarpa, along with his fellow small canoe boat owners, put together a loosely organized affair one year later consisting of nine vessels illuminated by Japanese lanterns.

With the exception of several years during World War II, the Tournament of Lights was held in Newport every summer, morfed into a winter event,growing into Newport’s premiere event drawing many visitors to the harbor. ” (reported by Newport Bay Yacht Club). This rendition of its history gives us added color.

Because of its popularity and draw, a lighted boat parade has been adopted and promoted by many cities as a premiere event to bring tourists into a community boosting overnight stays and locals.

Regardless of the Boat Parade’s history, what we know for sure is that watching these decorated boats move slowly, silently skimming the water, on a moonlit night, is a thrill. This event gives us all a good reason to be at a seaside restaurant, sipping some wine, and kicking off the holiday season.

Whether you like them raw, or cooked, or NOT at all… these crustacean delicacies have been harvested by Morro Bay residents and tourists since the early 1900s.

Morro Bay is the home of two oyster farms; the Grassy Knoll Oyster Company and the Morro Bay Oyster Company. Take a back bay adventure tour to view these farms up close and personal.

So proud of this industry, Morro Bay pays homage to the oyster by hosting an annual festival.

Myth buster and facts:

If they’re farm-raised, “There’s no reason you can’t eat oysters in months that end with ‘r’,” according to Neal Malony, owner of the Morro Bay Oster Company. This is not the case with Wild oysters typically spawn in those “r” months.

Oysters make your heart stronger and brain sharper due to their omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also loaded with vitamin E, an antioxidant, and high levels of calcium, iron and vitamins keep your bones, blood and eyesight in good shape.

The highest source of zinc found in any food and the amino acids in oysters also boost testosterone and estrogen, which is why they are touted as aphrodisiacs. Keep looking great, as oysters help maintain collagen levels in your skin and they are high in protein, but low in calories.

CELEBRATE the Oyster

Morro Bay honors the Oyster at an October Festival.

This year 10 wineries are participating, all of them featured in a “grape garden” where you can taste from each of the brands. You can also buy wine and beer at various beverage stations which you pay for with beverage tickets you purchase when you check in. It all takes place from noon to 8 p.m. with tickets available at the gate. You can park free on the Embarcadero, and ride a free shuttle to the event. Or, new this year, you can park at the event for a fee. Among the great additions to the contests besides the chef’s competition is the shucking contest. Many outstanding food trucks will serve foods you can purchase all day. Your ticket includes the all-day music festival, and all attractions.

Grassy Knoll Oyster Company

Grassy Bar is an oyster bed on Morro Bay estuary, cared for by the Trevelyan family of Cayucos. We are stewards of the back bay’s tidal flats and channels where the shelly molluscs are planted and tended.

Refreshingly briny, with an unmistakable taste of watermelon, even the name denotes a warm ocean breeze whistling through beach grass and over sand dunes.

These brave Pacific oysters grow robust and deep cupped in the cold open ocean waters.

Morro Bay Oyster Company

With his degree in Marine Biology from the University of Oregon, Neal now raises about 750,000 fantastic tasting oysters annually.

And while the variety, Pacific Gold, aren’t native to the Central Coast–Maloney gets his babies, no bigger than a pencil eraser, from Washington–they have been raised here since the 1930s. It’s the same variety as Hama Hama from Washington, but here they take on characteristics unique to Morro Bay.

These oysters are farmed by placing the small baby nubs, no bigger then a pencil eraser, in mesh bags that sit along floating platforms in the back bay, and Maloney and his team shake the bags every day, which helps keeps the oysters separated. This also helps the oyster grow a good deep cup so the meat develops a perfectly firm texture. The oysters take 12 to 24 month to grow the best size, and then they’re hand harvested daily.

These are really lovely oysters with a great crisp flavor and wonderful texture.

When serving freshly shucked oysters on the half shell, Maloney suggests following the three Cs–cold, cut and clean. When you shuck them, make sure they are cold, that the muscle is cut, and all of the shell particles are removed. Then slurp them down.

If you’re unsure of your shucking skills, consider throwing oysters on a grill. “Make sure the grill is good and hot,” says Maloney “Put the oysters on flat-side down. When you see little bubbles coming out of the sides, flip them. About four or five minutes later, they’ll pop open and you know they’re done.”

If you are a “foodie” and love central coast wines this event can’t be missed!The 4th weekend of September, Savor the Central Coast is Sunset Magazine’s invention that is 3 years strong.This is a spectacular 3 days event that attracts visitors worldwide.

Hosted by the small obscure town of Santa Margarita (2 blocks long and boasting a population of2,700 permanent residents). Founded in 1774, Mission San Luis Obispo chose the Santa Margarita Valley for the site of their Mission Asistencia, an outlying farm. It was established as a town in 1889.

Sip more than 200 wines. Indulge in culinary bites from over 30 local chefs. Meet Winemakers, Brew masters, and Artisans. This year Celebrity Chef Michael Voltaggio headlines the cooking showcase. Unlimited food and wine sampling, unlimited rides on the historic steam engine train, plus live entertainment…one can’t go wrong by attending this event. You never pay for anything once you enter the Event.

Yes, the weather is traditionally hot!Wear cool clothes, bring water, and a hat. Wear comfortable shoes because it’s a schlep from the parking area to the event, but that’s ok because you will be staying at the Event for a long while.No pets and No Smoking. You must be 21 years of age or older to attend.

If you haven’t been before, you must go.Plus, every year is different.

Morro Bay is 25 minutes to the West, where it is cool because of our wonderful ocean breezes!You will enjoy our weather in the evenings and the mornings.Hear the seals and watch the fishing boats.

Groups of Blue whales and Humpback whales have been spotted in Estero Bay feeding on krill.

The whales are milling around within a few miles off Morro Bay and putting on quite a show.It had been fairly rare to see Blue whales in this area.In the last few years blue whales have been spotted feeding around Estero Bay mostly in June and early July. The reason is large areas of krill, a small schooling shrimp that the blue whales love to eat, have moved in front of Morro Bay and the jumbo whales have followed them.

Kevin Winfield the owner/operator of the M/VDOS OSOS said ”Today, I saw lots of Blue and Humpback whales, they were spouting in every direction, dozens. It was awesome.”

If you’d like more information about the whales or would like to contact Kevin Winfield he can be reached at 805 772 9463,cell –or Email- subseatours@gmail.com

]]>http://www.bayfront-inn.com/blue-whales-feed-off-morro-bay/feed0Morro Bay 4th of Julyhttp://www.bayfront-inn.com/morro-bay-4th-of-july?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=morro-bay-4th-of-july
http://www.bayfront-inn.com/morro-bay-4th-of-july#commentsThu, 06 Jun 2013 18:41:57 +0000adminhttp://bayfront-inn.dwtemp.net/?p=100Skateboard race, parade, and family fun! Enjoy a day of festive activities ending with fireworks. Reserve your spot at Tidelands Park. Bring a picnic lunch or purchase delicious bar-b-q from a food vendor. Picnic right at the sea. Live bands all day long and tributes to our Vets. The day starts off AT NOON – MEET AT THE ROCK for the bike parade.. Come to Morro Bay – Stay at the Bayfront Inn and simply walk to all the fun. The night ends with a big bang!
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